Pope Francis appeals to Armenian and Azeri authorities to find a peaceful solution to the ongoing conflict in the disputed Nagorno Karabakh territory.

By Linda Bordoni

Pope Francis issued a heartfelt appeal on Sunday for an end to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan that, he said, is causing much death and suffering.

Speaking after the Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square on the Solemnity of All Saints’, the Pope said “during these feast days, let us not forget  what is happeninig in Nagorno Karabakh, where armed clashes are interrupted intermittently by fragile truces.”

He decried a “tragic increase in the number of victims, the destruction of homes, infrastructures and places of worship,” and noted that civilians are increasingly under attack.

Appeal to authorities and international community

“I would like to renew my heartfelt appeal to the parties responsible in the conflict so that they intervene as soon as possible to stop the shedding of innocent blood", the Pope said, urging them not to attempt to solve the controversy with violence, but engaging in "sincere negotiations with the help of the international community.”

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